Castle Spišský Hrad in Slovakia: photoes and reviews of tourists

Most of our compatriots visit Slovakia for the sake of its ski resorts, trekking through the Tatra Mountains or treatment in local sanatoria. But the country is famous not only for this. This ancient land holds many historical and cultural attractions. There are more than one hundred and seventy castles in Slovakia alone! And so the excursions will leave you deep impressions. If you look at the castles of Slovakia on the map, you can see that they are distributed unevenly throughout the country. Especially there are a lot of them in the Spissky region. Of course, the time of construction of the locks, as well as the degree of their safety are different. There are ruins of once proud feudal nests, and there are magnificent palace and park complexes of the late Renaissance. This article is devoted to the Spišsky Grad. This is a castle inscribed in the World Heritage List of Humanity.

Spišský Hrad (Slovakia)

Of the one hundred and seventy castles in the country, only six are listed in UNESCO. According to the reviews of tourists, and Betliar, and Budmeritsa, as well as Zvolen, Devin and Moshovets worthy of a visit. Somewhere there are ghosts, the glorious history of the land froze somewhere in the stone. But the castle Spišský Hrad in Slovakia is the most important. This, as they say, "mast si", if you believe the guides around the country. He, like Tatry, is the visiting card of Slovakia and is often depicted on various souvenirs. By the way, and there is a castle near the mountains. Climbing the hill, which occupies this citadel, you can take a picture of the wonderful view of the white crown of the Tatras. Magnificent pictures are obtained and at the entrance to the Spišský Castle. The dolomite rocks rise almost vertically to a height of 200 meters. The castle, like an eagle, hovers over the town of Spišskoe Podgradie, hidden in the shadow of the hill.

History

Castles of Slovakia have a different origin. Some appeared as fortified villages, later abandoned by the inhabitants and converted into military citadels. Others were built by the Hungarians as fortresses for protection against the Mongols. Still others emerged as hunting lodges of barons or country villas of aristocrats. The history of the Spišsky Castle is very interesting. The dolomite rocks, on which the castle now stands, were inhabited ten thousand years ago. Here the skull of the Cro-Magnon was found, but, to the great regret of modern tourists, the artifact was lost during the Second World War. At the turn of the epoch (II century BC - 1st century AD), the top of the rock was occupied by the Celtic settlement. Tourists claim that it is still possible to discover the ancient ramparts surrounding the village. Later, the inhabitants for unknown reasons moved to the nearby hill Ancient.

The appearance of the castle

The first monumental structure, which marked the beginning of the actual Spissky Grad, was the stone tower-donjon. It appeared at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries. The tower had several floors. Here lived the family of the lord, as well as the military guard. Tourists are shown the remains of the water tank, the foundations of the tower. The building itself was not preserved. The tower was destroyed in the early 13th century as a result of an earthquake. But even then Europe was clearly aware of the threat emanating from the East. To protect their lands from the invasion of Mongolian hordes, Hungarian King Bela IV ordered to strengthen the mountain and build on it a border outpost. So there was a castle Spišsky Grad in Slovakia, which we see so far. In particular, a palace and a round tower in the Romanesque style were built . The efforts of Bela IV were not wasted - in 1241 the Mongol-Tatars never took the stronghold.

Turning into a royal residence

When in 1243 the nomads returned to their steppes, Bela IV ordered to further strengthen the Spišsky Castle. Thus appeared the Upper Court of the castle with a three-story Gothic palace and a new tower called "Do not be afraid." Judging by the style of this building, Italian architects were invited to build it. Tourists advise not to be lazy and climb the observation deck of the tower along a spiral staircase - from there you can see breathtaking views. Although excursions to the Knight's Hall and the owner's rooms on the third floor are also interesting. The castle in the late 13th century was owned by the regent and mother of King Laszlo IV Aljbet Kumanska. So it was believed that the first faces of the kingdom began to inhabit here. In the middle of the 15th century, the hetman of the Hungarian king Ladislav, Postum Jan Spark, ordered the expansion of the stronghold territory and strengthen it according to modern technology to protect against a possible siege. So the Lower Court appeared. At the time of the Ottoman conquest of Hungary, the castle of Spišský Hrad in Slovakia was at the very center of events. Jan Zapolsky was born here. After the defeat of Lajos II at the Battle of Mohac, he became King of Hungary.

Excursions

Passing from the hands of some owners to others, the castle was constantly rebuilt in connection with the development of military art. In the middle of the 16th century the Spišsky Grad "overgrew" with mighty bastions, and its walls were cut by special loopholes for cannons. In 1636, this stronghold passed to the family of Tssaki, who owned it until 1945. At the end of the 18th century, a big fire occurred in the castle. The owners considered it best to move to more convenient places than to rebuild the burnt property. And in 1969, the castle began to work archaeologists, then - restorers. In 1993, this architectural monument was awarded the honor of becoming an object of world cultural significance. Now it has a museum. He, as the reviews say, is interactive. Excursions are conducted by knights, alchemists and princesses. And in the Lower Court you can practice in archery and arbalest shooting. Often on the territory of the castle museum there are theatrical fights and tournaments.

How to get there

Castle Spišský Hrad in Slovakia is the largest and most visited. But from December 1 until February 8 it is closed to tourists. The hours of his work depend on the season. In March, the castle is open from 9 am to 5 pm, and in April until 18.00. It is best to come here in summer - the museum works until seven in the evening and without days off. Tourists say that tickets are sold at quite democratic prices. And on the first Sunday of the month the entrance is completely free. The largest castle in Slovakia is located in the Presevo region. A train to the town of Spišské Podgorie can be reached from Poprad. Buses go here from Levoca. If you come by car, then the car can be put on a paid parking near the museum. In the town under the rock there are a lot of places where you can have a tasty snack, or even have a good lunch. Tourists highly recommend the restaurant "Spishsky Salash".